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CTV News
6 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
China tariffs bite into B.C. spot prawn season, but foodies queue for kiss of the sea
Rob MacDonald, crew member and fisherman with Salty Stew's Seafood, weighs spot prawns for a customer at False Creek Harbour Authority, Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver, on Thursday, June 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Toronto resident Krista Jang showed off her 'haul' on the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver — a bag of sweet and meaty spot prawns, live and kicking and fresh off the boat. The actress was raised in Vancouver and spot prawn season is one of the things she misses most. Jang said she would have them 'Chinese style,' steamed and dipped in a little soy sauce and sesame oil to make the most of their 'pure and simple flavour.' 'I've had it my whole life,' she said last week of the bright orange crustaceans. 'I see that they sell (in Toronto), but it's so expensive, and it's much fresher and affordable here.' British Columbia's spot prawn season is ending this week, with live prawns selling at around $20 to $25 per pound. This spring's season began in mid-May and lasted less than a month. Domestic buyers like Jang make up only a small share of the market, but this year it was an important one, with China's 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian seafood putting a pinch on exports. China is the biggest buyer of B.C.'s spot prawns, said Christina Burridge, executive director of the BC Seafood Alliance. She said the March 20 tariffs were a 'real problem' for fishermen and exporters. 'Chinese customers don't want to pay that tariff. So, they expect that the fishermen here and the exporters will reduce their prices by at least 25 per cent, but it's impossible,' said Burridge. Mike Atkins, executive director with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association, said the Chinese tariffs were the latest burden on fishermen, as the cost of bait and fishing supplies increased. 'Our exporters this year are trying to shift markets a little bit, because it's tough to get it to China with the price, so they're trying to shift back to Japan, which (once) was our main market for spot prawns,' said Atkins. 'It is really tough for the fishermen this year.' About 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of B.C. spot prawns are landed each year, and about 80 to 90 per cent are typically exported, said Atkins. The total value of the B.C. prawn harvest in 2023 was $83 million, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Lynette Kershaw with Prawns on the Spot in Richmond, B.C., said their spot prawn products usually go to public customers, but they also sell a certain portion of their frozen catch to the French Creek Fresh Seafood market in Parksville, B.C., which exports to Asia. 'I think with the tariffs, and just with the world situation right now, we have had a slowdown in selling that frozen product, so that will impact us,' said Kershaw, who has been selling spot prawns on Steveston Fisherman's Wharf for six years. But there hadn't been any slowdown in sales from local customers at the wharf. 'I think that's because the people who enjoy spot prawns know that it's a local delicacy. They know that it's a very short amount of time … I think people just want to treat themselves,' said Kershaw. A TASTING, PREPARED BY A 'LEGEND' Back at False Creek, fisherman Stewart McDonald and his crew were doling out bags of kicking prawns from a blue tank. Among those patiently waiting for a meal was a heron that the fishermen said was named Frank, prowling the wharf, and a plump harbour seal named Sparky, bobbing in the water and waiting for a handout. McDonald has spent 20 years harvesting spot prawns and selling them at the wharf. He said he can't complain about the market due to huge demand from loyal local customers queuing for a taste. Spot prawn season didn't use to be a big deal, but now it's celebrated, said McDonald. 'It's kind of like turned into a social event, like go wine tasting or pick apples or berries,' he said. 'People look forward to this prawn season because it's only a short time, and it's earlier than most of the crops. The berries and the fruit hasn't come out yet, but the prawns are incredible … and people love them.' McDonald pointed out a particularly loyal customer, Dragon Watanabe, dragging a five-pound bucket of prawns to his car. He said he was buying for his uncle's restaurant — and issued a spontaneous invitation to see them prepared by 'a legend.' Watanabe's uncle, it turns out, is 75-year-old chef Hidekazu Tojo, reputed as the inventor of the California roll, and one of the most famous Japanese chefs in Canada. His restaurant, Tojo's, goes through 20 to 25 pounds of spot prawns from McDonald's boat each day during the season. 'Stewart brought us very high-quality ingredients, that's why I respect him, we are good friends,' said Tojo of a 20-year relationship that has included going out on McDonald's boat. In the kitchen, Tojo dropped three prawns into a pot of boiling water for precisely one minute and 45 seconds — any longer and the meat would be tough, he said. He lifted them out and gently peeled them, dressing them with a vinaigrette of cilantro and minced jalapeno and plating them with a few slices of melon. There's subtle heat from the jalapeno, in contrast to the slight sweetness of the prawns. Next is a 'Tojo's golden roll,' a sushi roll filled with raw spot prawns, Dungeness crab, and salmon, topped with herring roe. There's an explosion of briny freshness in the mouth. It tastes like kissing the sea. This report by Nono Shen, The Canadian Press, was first published June 9, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
China tariffs bite into B.C. spot prawn season, but foodies queue for kiss of the sea
VANCOUVER – Toronto resident Krista Jang showed off her 'haul' on the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver — a bag of sweet and meaty spot prawns, live and kicking and fresh off the boat. The actress was raised in Vancouver and spot prawn season is one of the things she misses most. Jang said she would have them 'Chinese style,' steamed and dipped in a little soy sauce and sesame oil to make the most of their 'pure and simple flavour.' 'I've had it my whole life,' she said last week of the bright orange crustaceans. 'I see that they sell (in Toronto), but it's so expensive, and it's much fresher and affordable here.' British Columbia's spot prawn season is ending this week, with live prawns selling at around $20 to $25 per pound. This spring's season began in mid-May and lasted less than a month. Domestic buyers like Jang make up only a small share of the market, but this year it was an important one, with China's 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian seafood putting a pinch on exports. China is the biggest buyer of B.C.'s spot prawns, said Christina Burridge, executive director of the BC Seafood Alliance. She said the March 20 tariffs were a 'real problem' for fishermen and exporters. 'Chinese customers don't want to pay that tariff. So, they expect that the fishermen here and the exporters will reduce their prices by at least 25 per cent, but it's impossible,' said Burridge. Mike Atkins, executive director with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association, said the Chinese tariffs were the latest burden on fishermen, as the cost of bait and fishing supplies increased. 'Our exporters this year are trying to shift markets a little bit, because it's tough to get it to China with the price, so they're trying to shift back to Japan, which (once) was our main market for spot prawns,' said Atkins. 'It is really tough for the fishermen this year.' About 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of B.C. spot prawns are landed each year, and about 80 to 90 per cent are typically exported, said Atkins. The total value of the B.C. prawn harvest in 2023 was $83 million, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Lynette Kershaw with Prawns on the Spot in Richmond, B.C., said their spot prawn products usually go to public customers, but they also sell a certain portion of their frozen catch to the French Creek Fresh Seafood market in Parksville, B.C., which exports to Asia. 'I think with the tariffs, and just with the world situation right now, we have had a slowdown in selling that frozen product, so that will impact us,' said Kershaw, who has been selling spot prawns on Steveston Fisherman's Wharf for six years. But there hadn't been any slowdown in sales from local customers at the wharf. 'I think that's because the people who enjoy spot prawns know that it's a local delicacy. They know that it's a very short amount of time … I think people just want to treat themselves,' said Kershaw. A TASTING, PREPARED BY A 'LEGEND' Back at False Creek, fisherman Stewart McDonald and his crew were doling out bags of kicking prawns from a blue tank. Among those patiently waiting for a meal was a heron that the fishermen said was named Frank, prowling the wharf, and a plump harbour seal named Sparky, bobbing in the water and waiting for a handout. McDonald has spent 20 years harvesting spot prawns and selling them at the wharf. He said he can't complain about the market due to huge demand from loyal local customers queuing for a taste. Spot prawn season didn't use to be a big deal, but now it's celebrated, said McDonald. 'It's kind of like turned into a social event, like go wine tasting or pick apples or berries,' he said. 'People look forward to this prawn season because it's only a short time, and it's earlier than most of the crops. The berries and the fruit hasn't come out yet, but the prawns are incredible … and people love them.' McDonald pointed out a particularly loyal customer, Dragon Watanabe, dragging a five-pound bucket of prawns to his car. He said he was buying for his uncle's restaurant — and issued a spontaneous invitation to see them prepared by 'a legend.' Watanabe's uncle, it turns out, is 75-year-old chef Hidekazu Tojo, reputed as the inventor of the California roll, and one of the most famous Japanese chefs in Canada. His restaurant, Tojo's, goes through 20 to 25 pounds of spot prawns from McDonald's boat each day during the season. 'Stewart brought us very high-quality ingredients, that's why I respect him, we are good friends,' said Tojo of a 20-year relationship that has included going out on McDonald's boat. In the kitchen, Tojo dropped three prawns into a pot of boiling water for precisely one minute and 45 seconds — any longer and the meat would be tough, he said. He lifted them out and gently peeled them, dressing them with a vinaigrette of cilantro and minced jalapeno and plating them with a few slices of melon. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. There's subtle heat from the jalapeno, in contrast to the slight sweetness of the prawns. Next is a 'Tojo's golden roll,' a sushi roll filled with raw spot prawns, Dungeness crab, and salmon, topped with herring roe. There's an explosion of briny freshness in the mouth. It tastes like kissing the sea. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China tariffs bite into B.C. spot prawn season, but foodies queue for kiss of the sea
VANCOUVER — Toronto resident Krista Jang showed off her "haul" on the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver — a bag of sweet and meaty spot prawns, live and kicking and fresh off the boat. The actress was raised in Vancouver and spot prawn season is one of the things she misses most. Jang said she would have them "Chinese style," steamed and dipped in a little soy sauce and sesame oil to make the most of their "pure and simple flavour." "I've had it my whole life," she said last week of the bright orange crustaceans. "I see that they sell (in Toronto), but it's so expensive, and it's much fresher and affordable here." British Columbia's spot prawn season is ending this week, with live prawns selling at around $20 to $25 per pound. This spring's season began in mid-May and lasted less than a month. Domestic buyers like Jang make up only a small share of the market, but this year it was an important one, with China's 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian seafood putting a pinch on exports. China is the biggest buyer of B.C.'s spot prawns, said Christina Burridge, executive director of the BC Seafood Alliance. She said the March 20 tariffs were a "real problem" for fishermen and exporters. "Chinese customers don't want to pay that tariff. So, they expect that the fishermen here and the exporters will reduce their prices by at least 25 per cent, but it's impossible," said Burridge. Mike Atkins, executive director with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association, said the Chinese tariffs were the latest burden on fishermen, as the cost of bait and fishing supplies increased. "Our exporters this year are trying to shift markets a little bit, because it's tough to get it to China with the price, so they're trying to shift back to Japan, which (once) was our main market for spot prawns," said Atkins. "It is really tough for the fishermen this year." About 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of B.C. spot prawns are landed each year, and about 80 to 90 per cent are typically exported, said Atkins. The total value of the B.C. prawn harvest in 2023 was $83 million, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Lynette Kershaw with Prawns on the Spot in Richmond, B.C., said their spot prawn products usually go to public customers, but they also sell a certain portion of their frozen catch to the French Creek Fresh Seafood market in Parksville, B.C., which exports to Asia. "I think with the tariffs, and just with the world situation right now, we have had a slowdown in selling that frozen product, so that will impact us," said Kershaw, who has been selling spot prawns on Steveston Fisherman's Wharf for six years. But there hadn't been any slowdown in sales from local customers at the wharf. "I think that's because the people who enjoy spot prawns know that it's a local delicacy. They know that it's a very short amount of time … I think people just want to treat themselves," said Kershaw. A TASTING, PREPARED BY A 'LEGEND' Back at False Creek, fisherman Stewart McDonald and his crew were doling out bags of kicking prawns from a blue tank. Among those patiently waiting for a meal was a heron that the fishermen said was named Frank, prowling the wharf, and a plump harbour seal named Sparky, bobbing in the water and waiting for a handout. McDonald has spent 20 years harvesting spot prawns and selling them at the wharf. He said he can't complain about the market due to huge demand from loyal local customers queuing for a taste. Spot prawn season didn't use to be a big deal, but now it's celebrated, said McDonald. "It's kind of like turned into a social event, like go wine tasting or pick apples or berries," he said. "People look forward to this prawn season because it's only a short time, and it's earlier than most of the crops. The berries and the fruit hasn't come out yet, but the prawns are incredible … and people love them." McDonald pointed out a particularly loyal customer, Dragon Watanabe, dragging a five-pound bucket of prawns to his car. He said he was buying for his uncle's restaurant — and issued a spontaneous invitation to see them prepared by "a legend." Watanabe's uncle, it turns out, is 75-year-old chef Hidekazu Tojo, reputed as the inventor of the California roll, and one of the most famous Japanese chefs in Canada. His restaurant, Tojo's, goes through 20 to 25 pounds of spot prawns from McDonald's boat each day during the season. "Stewart brought us very high-quality ingredients, that's why I respect him, we are good friends," said Tojo of a 20-year relationship that has included going out on McDonald's boat. In the kitchen, Tojo dropped three prawns into a pot of boiling water for precisely one minute and 45 seconds — any longer and the meat would be tough, he said. He lifted them out and gently peeled them, dressing them with a vinaigrette of cilantro and minced jalapeno and plating them with a few slices of melon. There's subtle heat from the jalapeno, in contrast to the slight sweetness of the prawns. Next is a "Tojo's golden roll," a sushi roll filled with raw spot prawns, Dungeness crab, and salmon, topped with herring roe. There's an explosion of briny freshness in the mouth. It tastes like kissing the sea. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Nono Shen, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Seafood producers doubtful B.C. trade mission will lessen immediate toll of China's tariffs
British Columbia Premier David Eby will lead a trade mission to Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia next month amid U.S. and Chinese tariffs. "Diversifying our markets away from these two gigantic markets and working with other markets is a priority for us and that's what we're going to continue to do," Eby said in an announcement on Wednesday. However, seafood industry insiders say it won't do much to help B.C. seafood producers make up for the hit they've taken in the wake of tariffs imposed by China earlier this year. China imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian seafood — including geoduck, lobster and shrimp — on March 20 in retaliation to Canada's tariffs on Chinese steel, aluminum, and electric vehicles. Christina Burridge, executive director of the B.C. Seafood Alliance, says the province's seafood industry relies on exporting to China, and business relationships there will be hard to replace. "It's not easy to see how we could replace China in less than five to 10 years," Burridge said. "Most of our customers are not willing to pay the tariffs themselves, so they expect us on this side to pay them, or most of them at least." Eby said the trade mission, which will take place from June 1 to 10, will look to expand investment and trade relationships in sectors affected by tariffs, including forestry, clean energy, liquefied natural gas, and agriculture. China is the second largest market for B.C. seafood producers after the U.S., Burridge said, purchasing roughly $400 million of seafood from the province annually. For seafood producers to stay competitive, she says, they've had to pay the tariffs themselves instead of passing them on to customers, in some cases lowering prices to 50 per cent below pre-tariff value. "At best, they're breaking even, they're not making any money," said Burridge, adding that these producers are having to choose between some business with China or no business with China. "It's been quite difficult and some vessels have chosen to tie up." B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said that while he doesn't agree with the Chinese government, he does think Canada and B.C. need to have a working relationship with the world's second-largest economy. "If we're being blocked by the largest economy, being the Americans, and we're ignoring the second-largest economy, that is very limiting for British Columbians to be able to grow our economy," he said. Darrell Thomas, a Vancouver Island-based geoduck harvester, say he's frustrated that small businesses like his are paying the price for the trade war between China, Canada, and the United States. Thomas is glad that B.C. is looking to diversify trade and build new business relationships, but he says that won't make up for the decades-long relationship between the province's seafood producers and buyers in China. "Maybe it'll help us in five to 10 years, but they're not going to even come close to the consumption that China does," Thomas said.
